This invention relates to an instructional device that assists a person in remembering facts in any field that can be answered by a single or few letters, a word or a number or group of numbers.
In the present age of computers and calculators, a person especially students, most often get into their calculators or computers to get a quick answer. While this allows work to be accomplished at a faster rate, it has its disadvantages especially with children at their primary to high school level of education because they tend to rely on these modern devices for the answers without personally knowing them. Consequently, they are at a loss when computers or calculators are not handy when they need them or they don""t have the ability to check whether the answers given by the devices are correct. Further, these calculators and computers foster laziness both mentally and physically and discourages one to patiently memorize or work their way into the right answers.
A mathematic teaching device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,041 attempts to address the above problem by offering a device where a mathematical question, specifically, a multiplication problem is posted at the front side and the right answer to the question is posted at the back side, the question and answer coordinated by a pointed instrument of sufficient length such as a pencil which passes from a hole bored at the front side posting the problem to the corresponding hole on the back side where the correct answer is posted. While this device aids a person wanting to memorize his/her multiplication table, the person is not given a challenge prior to answering the question before flipping over to the back side to see if the answer is correct. Also, the answer to the question at the back side is directly opposite in position to the question at the front side which makes it very easy for someone to quickly flip the device and look at the answers. Further, there are numerous facts covered by various fields aside from mathematical questions that one needs to know by heart such as historical, current, scientific, cultural, literary and geographical questions, the answers for which are good and beneficial to know which are not addressed by the above patented device.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an instructional device that will aid a person in memorizing facts and information on various topics.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a mental and physical challenge to the user of this device before an answer is given.
It is a further object of this invention to provide the device in a form that can be used by every member of the community.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide this device in a portable form so that it can be easily brought or transported, as well as carried along while travelling by any means of transportation.
It is also a further object of this invention to provide a gift item that is reasonable in price and at the same time very useful.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide an instructional device that improves ones manual dexterity while using the device.
It is also a further object of this invention to provide a feeling of satisfaction and pride on a user when the final step in the operation of the device is successfully reached.
This invention relates to an instructional device comprising a casing bordered by side walls, a front face and a back face, the casing snugly enclosing a first central insert component and a second central insert component, each having a combination of protruding fences, walled openings, and plain openings on a top and bottom surfaces. Herein, the first central insert component and the second central insert component may be simply referred to interchangeably as first and second insert or first and second insert component. The first central insert component and the second central insert component is stacked together with the bottom surfaces of each central insert component communicating directly with each other resulting in the top surface of the first central insert component facing away from the top surface of the second central insert component. The stacking of the bottom surfaces with each other forms a series of internal enclosures and pathways while each top surface of the central insert components forms a series of external enclosures and pathways. The coordination of the internal and external enclosures and pathways resulting from the communication and matching of the protruding fences, walled openings and plain openings forms several pathways permitting passage of an object from one top surface to the other top surface or through a middle compartment formed after stacking the first with the second central insert compartment. The object, preferably round such as a ball or a marble is the tool used to operate the device. The fences protrude upwards from the top surface and downwards from the bottom surface of the first and second central insert components. The tips of the fences that define the cells and separate the different areas of the device, protruding upwards from each top surface of the first and second central insert component, touch on the respective face of the casing or the device to prevent the object from leaving or entering the cells and the areas within the device through routes different from the designed pathways formed by the stacking of the first and second central insert components. This also allows turning the device upside down without affecting its operation. The central insert components stack in a definite manner to form the pathways and protruding bars from one insert component lodging against a designated wall or into specific openings of the other insert component further aid at ensuring that the components are stacked together properly. After the central insert components are stacked together, three of the side edges of the components are coterminal to each other while one edge of one central insert component extends further than the other edge of the other central insert component. This exposes the top and bottom surface of the extended section because it does not stack with a corresponding section of the other insert component. The extended section of the component have a series of openings designed for resetting the operation or entering a column area. Also the cells defined by the fences of one insert component does not lie directly opposite the cells defined by the fences of the other insert component but are offset from each other to allow the object to traverse from one top surface of an insert component to the other top surface of the other insert component in a sinuous pattern.
A series of questions and answers are imprinted on each face and each pair of question and answer is contained in a cell. The cells of question and answers are arranged in a column. The device provides two possible answers for each question, a correct answer and an incorrect or wrong answer. The object is used to designate which answer is chosen by the user. Each answer has an opening leading to a definite pathway. The answer is chosen by directing the object to one opening of a double opening sitting directly underneath the answers. The double opening leads to passageways of different depths, the depth underneath a correct answer is longer than the depth underneath a wrong answer because this passageway has to reach from one cell at the top surface of one insert component to the other cell at the top surface of the other insert component. The passageway for the wrong answer is shorter and terminates at the middle compartment formed between the first and second central insert component. The middle compartment leads to a wrong answer exit without reaching another cell. Longitudinal fences protruding from the bottom surface of one central insert component keep the object within the column of cells as it traverse the middle compartment to the wrong answer exit. The entry to an opening permitting the passage of the object preferably has a ramp to facilitate the entry but require slight tilting and maneuvering of the object before entering to prevent inadvertent entry. To prevent entry of the object at openings not designated for entry, the holes or openings are surrounded by protruding walls. Aside from the imprinted questions and answers, arrows directing the possible pathways for the object are also printed on the front and back faces of the casing or the device.
The device is preferably made of a plastic material with the front and back face of the casing transparent to be able to see the openings and pathways and direct the object to these openings and pathways. Sections of the front and back face covered by imprinted graphics should still allow a user to see the openings and pathways.
The device can be sectioned into different levels of complexity or the device can be just one continuous section. A nonabrasive material fully enveloping the side walls or edges of the device or partially enveloping the corners or other sharp edges of the device may be used to ensure safety in handling the device. Further, the device can have handles for a user to grip on while operating the device.
The different openings, enclosures and pathways provide the means for starting and resetting the device, for directing the object to a reset area when an incorrect answer is chosen or to another cell or the finish area when a correct answer is chosen, for repeating the operation of a column of cells of question and answers without restarting the operation and for ensuring the correct stacking of the first central insert component with the second central insert component.
A method for operating the device described above comprising a series of questions and answers having an opening and corresponding pathways for each answer, individual pathways for starting, resetting, repeating and ending the operation, each pathway formed by a combination of protruding fences, walled openings and plain openings on a top and bottom surface of a first and second central insert components stacked in a definite position and enclosed in a casing, the pathways permitting passage of an object therethrough, comprise the steps of:
a. starting an operation by placing an object at a reset area and allowing the object to enter a start hole, the start hole directing the object to an entry area;
b. directing the object to enter a hole leading to a cell having a pair of question and answers;
c. answering the question by choosing between a correct answer and a wrong answer and directing the object to a hole directly underneath the chosen answer, each answer leading the object to a definite pathway;
d. proceeding to another cell if the correct answer is chosen, the object lodging at the other cell;
e. repeating step (d) to an end of a column of cells or proceeding to another column of cells to an end of the operation if all the answers chosen are correct;
f. restarting the operation of a completed column, the object directed to a column reset hole;
g. restarting the operation at the end of the operation, the object directed to the start hole of the reset area;
h. restarting a new operation or the column of cells when a wrong answer is chosen, the object exiting to a wrong answer area and proceeding to a reset hole to start the new operation or to a column entry area to repeat the same column of cells where the wrong answer was chosen, and,
i. quitting at any step of the operation.
When a correct answer is chosen, proceeding to another cell is done by flipping the device because the object proceeds from one cell located at the top surface of one central insert component to another cell at the top surface of the other central insert component.
The object can be made to enter a reset area to restart the operation or repeat the operation of the same column of cells at any time by purposely choosing a wrong answer. However, the option of repeating a successfully completed column, that is choosing all correct answers, is allowed only at the end of certain columns of cells.